AFI 100-76

99 Toy Story

1995

100 Ben-Hur

1959

So last night I started with #100: Ben-Hur. Aside from the movie being REALLY long, I was impressed with Charlton Heston's performance. I really only knew him as an old man and NRA fanatic. So it was nice to see him in his prime. And the chariot race was pretty damn cool. To see a movie where when there are supposed to be 7 chariots (and 28 horses) lined up perfetly and none of it was CG was refreshing.

Continued with my AFI movie watching list tonight with #99 - Toy Story. It had been a while since I had seen the first one, and so it was nice to re-watch it and remember what an impact this first Pixar film had on animated films. The adult humor that was still very appropriate for kids blended into this wonderful and magical story with some of the greatest voice actors - Tom Hanks and Tim Allen (among others). Really enjoyed it and can see how it made the list.

It took me 3 tries and last night I finally finished film #97 - Blade Runner. The attempts have no reflection on the merit or it's inclusion on the list. It is a simple fact: I am not the biggest Sci-fi movie person. And it became clear to me that if they are older but I didn't fall in love with them as a child I can't look past the effects, slow moving plot line and overall "eighties-ness" of it. I super heart Harrison Ford and am happy that this movie marks his third film to be included in this list. And Rutger Hauer was a bad-ass. And I appreciated seeing super eighties staples Sean Young and Daryl Hannah. I see how many movies have taken ideas from this film - the vehicles alone were so cool - but I don't feel that it should be ahead of any of the three below it on the list.

Last night I watched AFI's #98 - Yankee Doodle Dandy and saying I was pleasantly surprised is an understatement. I knew the movie was going to be black and white and from 1942 and I was just not really excited for that. Well shame on me. This movie was absolutely fantastic! Not only did I learn about someone that gave so much to American theater, but also who wrote songs I have known since I was a child. Did you ever wonder who wrote "You're a Grand Old Flag"? Well now I know! It was funny, it was sweet, it had great dancing, it was truly patriotic, and I could see how it influenced later films. I now understand more why James Cagney is so beloved.

97 Blade Runner

1982

98 Yankee Doodle Dandy

1942

100-76

96 Do the Right Thing

1989

95 The Last Picture Show

1971

Continuing with my AFI list, last night I watched #96 - Do the Right Thing. I was not impressed. In the least. Maybe it would have been a lot more poignant if I watched it when it came out in 1989, but in 2012 this movie mostly just inspired...boredom. I didn't appreciate the camera work. The scenes felt disconnected. The dialogue was like they had just been parts of some lame poetry slam that all
got jammed together to create one big story that's only purpose was to infuriate you. No matter what you think was the "right thing." There were some great actors (John Turturro, Samuel L Jackson ) and it was cool to see a VERY early Martin Lawrence. But the accolades this movie received - including being part of the National Film Registry - are beyond me.

My favorite part of the movie honestly was seeing the guy who takes Ferris' car from the garage in Ferris Buehler's Day Off (Richard Edson) in another film. That was the high point for me.

I got to #95 on the AFI 100 years 100 movies list. That film is The Last Picture Show starring Cybill Shepherd, Jeff Bridges, Ellen Burstyn and Cloris Leachman (among others). I was excited to watch this film to see some early performances by a couple actors I greatly admire. That is where it ended for me. While this film is considered "historically important" I found it to be slow, the monologues by each actor very forced, and a film made in the 1970s that used black and white film and nudity as a ploy to get teenagers to watch this "coming of age" story.

Roger Ebert said in his review, "The film is above all an evocation of mood. It is about a town with no reason to exist, and people with no reason to live there. The only hope is in transgression."

The mood it evoked in me was boredom. And in a town with no reason to exist and no reason for people to live there, I also found that I had no reason to watch this.

I was not at all let down in my excitement to get to #94 on the AFI Movie list: Pulp Fiction. It had been a while since I watched the movie from start to finish, and it is every bit as good as I remember. John Travolta making his comeback and with a killer dance scene to boot. Samuel L Jackson with his bible versus and basically being the motherf****** man. Uma as the ever so awesome "kitty cat" Mia. And the rest of this amazing cast...too many to mention. It is smart. It is funny. It is raw. It is everything that Quentin Tarantino loves. And I love him for it.

94 Pulp Fiction

1994

I watched it a while ago, but I failed to get my post up about my #93 on the AFI list: The French Connection. I get why the movie was on the list and is part of the national film registry. There were some really cool moments (the car chase was definitely one of the best I have ever seen), and Gene Hackman was pretty much a bad ass. But similar to what I have been finding with some movies made around this time - it feels like you are thrown into the middle of a much larger story, and the dialogue doesn't really help you to feel connected until at least half way through. For that reason, I found myself feeling disinterested far too soon into the film. Luckily I stayed with it, and was happy with the film overall.

But seriously if you haven't seen it, the whole car chase with the train was pretty awesome. That is worth a watch in itself.

93 The French Connection

1971

I am a fan of Meryl Streep, so last night I was looking forward to watching my AFI #91 film: Sophie's Choice. I went into the movie not knowing anything about it aside from it's high critical acclaim. I was pleasantly surprised to see that Kevin Kline was in it, but this only made my expectations grow so there was a little concern.

The theme was pretty heavy, and there was a lot of dialogue - but it was truly a great movie. Streep was mesmerizing with her Polish accent (and I have honestly never thought she looked better) and Kline was exactly what I love about him - high energy, fast talking, and extremely charismatic. And after the two flashbacks and stories (especially the last one), I fully understood why this was Mrs. Streep's first Best Actress Oscar. And why this is considered one of the best Holocaust films. It made my list.

On a weird note, for the first few minutes of the film I couldn't figure out where I knew one of the main actors from - Peter MacNicol. And then I realized it was Dr. Janosz Poha from Ghostbusters II! I know he has done other things since then, but I had never seen him in anything serious, so it took a little getting used to.

I watched my much anticipated #92 AFI film last night: Goodfellas. And it was great! This was a film that I felt ashamed of myself for never seeing. I adore Scorsese, and I had heard the iconic Joe Pesci "How am I funny?" dialogue already. But what a movie! Funny, smart, dramatic, engaging - it had it all. I love when movies are based on true stories, and that is especially true with mob movies. Plus the cast was to die for. Ray Liotta was perfect (and with the massive help of makeup looked wonderful). DeNiro as Jimmy was absolutely amazing. Does the man age? This movie was 1990 and he still looks the same!

It was also cool to see a few Soprano peeps in there. I still heart you Christopher Moltisanti aka Spider (Michael Imperioli).

91 Sophie's Choice

1982

92 Goodfellas

1990

I have seen it many times, but I was still happy to be watching my American Film Institute #89 film: The Sixth Sense. Every time I watch this film I think about the first time I saw it - opening weekend in 1999. The revelation of the twist ending left me completely blindsided and I walked out of the theater for the first time in shock that I hadn't figured it out at some point before that. I had no idea who this M. Night Shyamalan director was, but I remember thinking, "This guy is a genius!" He has had his high and low points since then, but upon another viewing I can categorically say that this movie still stands as his best effort. It was first of all well cast - who doesn't love Bruce Willis, and Haley Joel Osment was surprisingly deep and believable considering his age.

For a thriller movie about a kid and ghosts, it is sophisticated . It gives you just enough and takes just enough at the right times to suck you in. The loneliness and emptiness of death. The mental anguish of carrying an unlikely secret. The fear and sheer terror of dealing with something supernatural.

This movie is so good that it can almost cancel out Shyamalan's The Happening. ALMOST.

90 Swing Time

1936

89 The Sixth Sense

1999

88 Bringing Up Baby

1938

87 12 Angry Men

1957

85 A Night at the Opera

1935

86 Platoon

1986

84 Easy Rider

1969

83 Titanic

1997

82 Sunrise

1927

80 The Apartment

1960

79 The Wild Bunch

1969

77 All the President's Men

1976

78 Modern Times

1936

I was so excited to watch my American Film Institute #76 film Forrest Gump. I can't tell you how many times I have seen it, and it never gets old!

I can pretty much assume that I don't need to tell you what this movie is all about since I don't know a single person that has not seen this movie. And if you haven't, then you must live under a rock. In a cave. And hate movies.

Tom Hanks is one of those actors that you can't help but love. And Forrest Gump is the quintessential loveable character. So the combination was just magic. And all the supporting actors were just perfect - Lt. Dan ( Gary Sinise), Mama ( Sally Field), and of course Jenny (Robin Wright Penn). Plus the soundtrack in this movie alone was phenomenal including artists like The Doors (4 songs - more than any other artist), Jefferson Airplane, Lynard Skynard, Simon & Garfunkel and the list goes on.

As I was watching this movie, I realized something very important in my AFI list viewing. This movie spoiled me. I've been watching a lot of movies that were made in the time period Forrest Gump was set in, but I always feel that they don't look as good. It is a duh because obviously this movie had better filmmaking techniques as it was made some 20+ years later. But it feels so authentic that I can't help but compare them.

This film, in my opinion, is only going to keep moving down the list as time passes. It is better than to be in the mid 70s. So as the movie made famous, "Run Forrest, Run!"...down that list.

76 Forrest Gump

1994

81 Spartacus

1960

I finally got through one tenth of my AFI list with #90: Swing Time. This isn't a movie I would just decide to watch for fun. The plot was pretty ridiculous, and some of the characters are SO over the top. But I have to remember the time this movie was made and the focus of the film was so obviously not on either of those things. This was about the movie's stars: Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. And if that is the reason for the film to be on the list, it is good enough. The dance scenes were absolutely phenomenal. They were so technically good and in sync that they made it look like the easiest thing in the world. It really makes you appreciate the talent required to tap and dance like that and you don't see that in films anymore.

My favorite thing about this movie though....Fred Astaire playing and singing "The Way You Look Tonight" which won the Academy Award for best original song. I LOVE that song and I didn't know this was the movie it was originally from.

Continuing on my American Film Institute list, my #88 film was Bringing Up Baby starring Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant. For me this was an unknown film with legendary stars. Although the movie is from 1938, I was hopefull that it would be entertaining or interesting at least. How very wrong I was.

This is supposed to be a screw-ball comedy involving a paleontologist, a leopard, and a woman that talks incessantly. What a hilarious premise already, right? I know that I need to remember the time period and definition of comedy was different than it is now, but it feels like non-stop chatter in ridiculous situations that are meant to be funny but are really just completely stupid. Who gets in someone else's car, sure that it is theirs even when the owner is telling you yours is the one next to it, and continues to drive off while the owner is hanging on to the car? Katherine Hepburn, that is who. And let me tell you - I would let her drive off in my car if it meant I didn't have to listen to her anymore. I know she has a distinctive voice and delivery - but after almost two hours, I wanted to put it on mute and remember her in a better light.

The best thing about this movie was the leopard. Having a docile leopard would be pretty awesome.

My #87 film on the American Film Institute 100 movies list was 12 Angry Men starring Henry Fonda. I had seen a clip of the film at some point in my High School career, but I had never seen the movie in it's entirety. Knowing that the movie was from 1957, in black and white, and entirely filmed in one room with 12 people just talking, I was not overwhelmingly excited to watch the film. Despite everything stacked against it, I was immediately drawn into the story.

Henry Fonda just grabbed a hold of me like I was one of the jurors in that room. I wanted to listen to him, I wanted to listen to everyone else. I never found myself bored with dialogue or thinking that anything was drawn out. Each character was so well executed from their mannerisms to their clothes to their votes and reasons why they changed them. Everything about this film just screams perfection.

I may be completely biased because I am notoriously a fan of courtroom dramas, but in that whole genre it is cool to get the jury's perspective and their way of coming to a decision. And despite the fact that it is unlikely that any jury nowadays would go to the lengths these men did to get justice, it still promoted a sense of pride and hope in the American legal system.

Is this film deserving of being on the AFI list? My vote is Guilty.

The next film on the American Film Institute list was #86 - Platoon starring Charlie Sheen, Tom Beringer, and Willem Dafoe and directed by Oliver Stone. Being a Vietnam War drama, I'm not gonna lie - I wasn't really that interested in watching this movie. I'm not the biggest war film person in the first place, and then having Oliver Stone as the director makes me already question it a little. Oliver Stone is one of those directors that I both love and loathe. He makes some fantastic choices when it comes to casting and subject matter, but he gets a little grandiose to the point that it begins to feel like artistic masturbation. And this movie is no exception.

The film is exactly what you think you will get - drug use, soldiers with no idea why they are there, excessive violence on little villages full of peasants, and authority figures with questionable intentions. There are some high points (pretty much anytime Beringer and Dafoe are on screen together) and low points (using Adagio for Strings over Sheen's inner monologue - could you try harder to pull on my heart strings?).

Ultimately I understand why this movie is on the list - the "loss of innocence" that Stone is trying to convey with what war does to people is exactly what you get. The overall sense of accuracy of the emotions surrounding this controversial time in America's military history is why it feels important to be included.

And even though Charlie Sheen is pretty much a joke now, the young Charlie was actually quite good. Although his performance is nowhere near the caliber of both Beringer and Defoe's, you can chalk it up to his youth and then it feels right with the character.

I liked it. I get it. But when it comes to this subject matter, I still prefer Full Metal Jacket. Sorry Stone, but Stanley Kubrick takes it on this one.

My #85 American Film Institute film is A Night at the Opera from 1935. It is considered a classic comedy and one of the most famous Marx Brothers films.

I had never actually seen any of the Marx Brothers films before this, so I didn't really know what to expect (outside of Groucho Marx with the cigar and rolling his eyes when he talks). With it being so old, I wasn't surprised with the high tempo and the fact that everyone talks extremely fast. The premise is so outdated that it all feels kind of foreign and the situations are just downright implausible. I found it very hard to relate and it took quite a bit of my attention to follow everything that was going on and to try to get the jokes.

Movies are completely different now. It has been 78 years, so it is really hard to decide what I think of this movie. Will I watch it again on my own for fun? Probably not. Do I appreciate it's inclusion on this list? Yes, but with some hesitation. I'm not sure if it is because I feel that it really is one of the Top 100 movies, or that it would be sad to let these early pioneer films fade into history because comedy and film has changed so much.

One bonus (and my way of bringing the story into my lifetime) was seeing the Stateroom scene. I had seen the Seinfeld episode when they are all stuck in a Janitor's closet, so I now understood where that came from. Pretty cool that Jerry Seinfeld referenced something that old in an American '90s sitcom.

#84 on the American Film Institute's list was Easy Rider starring Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper. I had heard a lot about this movie, so my expectations were pretty high - especially since I am a big fan of Hopper. But by far the breakout star was Jack Nicholson. I love Jack in just about everything, and this movie is no exception.

The thing about this film that I first noticed was the soundtrack. Made in 1968, the long motorcycle riding shots included some great music of that era, and combined with the beautiful scenery of their ride from California to Louisiana made the music feel even more epic.

The dialogue and the pace however were not so fantastic. I found myself getting a little bored with long glances and uncomfortable silences (especially some of the scenes when they visit the commune). There were cool things and stupid things about hippies at this time - and what I got further instilled my belief that they were mostly just...stupid.

But Jack Nicholson - the shining light of this film - made it all worth it. I love seeing him when he is young, and in this movie his character is the "square" of the group (which just makes him more adorable). I couldn't help but just fall in love with him! He also says probably one of the best things I have ever heard on the subject of freedom:

It was a happy coincidence that yesterday was Valentine's Day and the day I watched my American Film Institute #83 film -Titanic. This 1997 film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet was so immensely popular that I was on overload of Titanic/Leo mania and hadn't actually watched it outside of catching pieces of it on TV in at least 10 years. So the big question wasn't whether I liked the film, but how it held up almost 16 years later.

From the beginning of the film, I was sucked into the story and felt the anticipation and excitement of getting to know Jack and Rose again. Both Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet were just as I remembered them - young, beautiful, and talented. I had also forgotten what an excellent villain Billy Zane was as Rose's fiance Cal. And it was nice to see some names I don't immediately think of regarding this film - Kathy Bates, Bill Paxton and Bernard Hill.

The entire movie feels so epic - just the size of the boat alone makes watching it feel like some of the passengers are right in believing it is unsinkable. And although it is long (over 3 hours), I still couldn't take my eyes off the screen for even a moment and shed a tear or two when the inevitable happens. Yeah, sucker status still intact.

Titanic definitely deserves to be on the AFI list, and possibly in a higher position than it currently has. I am guessing that given more time, it will probably move up .

The only complaint that I have for the film lies in the music. Celine Dion's heart may go on, but halfway through the film I was ready for it to stop. I was ready for anything else. That song is just...annoying.

Now that the Oscars are over, I could finally get back to my American Film Institute list, so tonight it was #82 Sunrise. This film is from 1927, and is the first silent film of the list so far. I wasn't sure how interested I would be in a silent film that was over two hours long. Before this, I had seen a few silent films including my favorite one Un Chien Andalou, but that was about it.

The movie was quite a surprise! I knew from previous silent films that I was going to have to really pay attention to what was going on and the cards in between scenes to follow the story. And with very little information about the characters - they don't even have names (Man, Wife, Woman from City, Maid) - it might be boring. But happily, I was immediately intrigued with the film. It is really cool to see how much emotion you can get just from the expressions of the actors. And how important music is to convey mood. It was intense at some points, and lovely and heartwarming at others. Being 1927 there were occasional ridiculous situations with the Wife specifically, but you just go with it and the times.

Although the film was in black and white, the filming was actually pretty stunning. The City scenes were very cool and makes you wish for a simpler time with Model Ts and horses on the road at the same time. And there is a whole boat scene that was done beautifully. It had to have been done in a tank, but you would never know it. Pretty impressed overall.

This is another film that was added to the National Film Registry. And I credit the drunk pig. What other movie has a drunk pig?

My next film on my American Film Institute list was #81 - Spartacus starring Kirk Douglas and directed by a young Stanley Kubrick. This was another one of "those movies" meaning the time when Hollywood was really into making historical epics in excess of 3 hours. Although I did enjoy the other one on the list (Ben Hur), it is the kind of film you have to prepare yourself for.

Kirk Douglas was great in the movie. I really only knew him as the father and older version of Michael Douglas, but he is a much more formidable presence on screen than his son. Some of the other actors in the movie were great too - Laurence Olivier and Tony Curtis specifically. I enjoy the stories of Ancient Rome, but for me what made this movie so stunning was the costumes and the sets. It is so grand and beautiful! No wonder they took the Academy Award home for both of those categories. Plus, much like Ben Hur, you have to be a little in awe at the magnitude of the film and how many extras had to be used (I read that Kurbick used 8,000 trained soldiers from the Spanish Infantry to pose as the Roman army).

Overall, I enjoyed the film. But the biggest problem I have with the movie is that it is LONG. There is just too much information. Too much character development. So much going on crammed into the film. It is understandable why these stories are now made into mini-series or TV shows.

I finally got through the 80s on the American Film Institute's list last night with #80 - The Apartment starring Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine. I absolutely LOVE Jack Lemmon and I was looking forward to this movie once I realized he was in it. And what a WONDERFUL film!

The movie, set in the 1960s, follows this poor fool Baxter who rents out his apartment to higher ups in his office (in hopes of getting promoted) so they can have their extra marital affairs somewhere. While the idea for the story is rather silly, with Jack Lemmon as Baxter you just totally buy into it. He is such a push over and genuinely nice guy and you feel for him and his predicament while at the same time just want to kick him! I'm not really one for slapstick, so the humor in this movie was perfect for me because the dialogue was so well done. And seeing a young Shirley MacLaine? What a knock-out! I had no idea.

There were so many great things about this movie, I can't name them all. One thing that struck me was the opening monologue. Probably going to be at the top of my list from now on. Also, I've watched a lot of Mad Men, so whenever they are in Baxter's office, I realize what a good job the set creators and writers did on Mad Men. You could take Don Draper right out of the show and insert him in the office next to Baxter's boss and you would never miss a beat.

If you ever feel like watching a star studded black and white romantic comedy, you should check this one out. It delivers on all accounts.

I finally got through my #79 American Film Institute movie The Wild Bunch. I will be honest. It took me three different sittings to finally finish this movie. I kept falling asleep! Not a good sign.

This movie has some famous actors like Ernest Borgnine and I know that it was groundbreaking when it first came out (due to it's violence). But this movie is from 1969. And by today's standards, it was tame. I'm not the biggest fan of Western movies to begin with and so the plot, the characters, and the action just made me bored. I wanted to like it - I really did - but it just didn't happen. This will not be something I will watch again.

It apparently is significant enough to be part of the National Film Registry. And I'm thinking that my dislike is probably just my overall disinterest in the genre and not having anything "special" to pull me in.

I just finished watching my #78 American Film Institute film Modern Times. I had only seen one Charlie Chaplin movie before, so I was excited to see how it would be. This movie was so awesome! Silent shmilent - the man can act! Charlie Chaplin as "The Little Tramp" is so talented and entertaining. I was glued to the screen the entire time.

The movie starts out with our main character working in some ridiculous factory. Hilarity ensues as we follow him into the ever precarious situations he finds himself in (the "lunch machine" and the "nose powder" were my favorite scenes). And then the end of the film nears, and you hear his voice for the first time ever on film. And what a scene! I had to rewind it and watch it again because I was laughing so hard. I would suggest that anyone watch "nonsense song" on Youtube to get a taste of this film.

I know he has some other films higher on the list, but in my book this one is going to be hard to beat. And I read that this was a political film. I guess in 1936 they were more creative in making a statement and making you enjoy it at the same time.And for all you parents out there - seriously let your children watch this. No words, no violence, no nudity, great music and it is literally laugh out loud funny.

My American Film Institute #77 film was All The President's Men starring Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman. After reading the premise of the movie, I found that it was about the Watergate scandal and based on the book of the same name. I became excited to watch it (as I knew very little about that whole thing) and was overall pleased with the film.

I thoroughly enjoy both Redford and Hoffman as actors, and I love watching films from their younger days. They are both such powerful forces on screen that scenes that were just simple conversations with each other or in the newsroom kept me wanting more. I became more and more intrigued as the story went on and although I knew what the outcome of the whole story was going to be, it was nonetheless a political "thriller" because they were able to capture the fear of those involved in this government conspiracy/cover-up scandal. One thing to mention - this movie is the reason the term "Follow the Money" became popular. I never knew that!

This movie was nominated for Best Picture in 1977 and lost out to Rocky (other nominees that year were Taxi Driver, Bound for Glory and Network). Although I don't think the movie should have won, I understand why it was nominated. And after watching it I couldn't help but compare that to this year's historical/political thriller Argo. It too was nominated for an Academy Award. And won. But in no way was Argo a better film in this genre than All the President's Men. Just like in 1977 - it was good, but there are stronger films that should have taken the Best Picture Oscar home.

Overall, it was good and it deserves to be on the list. It is also part of the National Film Registry, and for its seemingly accurate portrayal of the hippie/wanderer lifestyle of the 1960s, I would agree with it's inclusion there as well.

And I don't know if I'm right or not, but Heath Ledger's character in Lords of Dogtown feels like it was directly influenced by Dennis Hopper's character in this film.